Manufacture of lubrication fittings



Sept. 4, 1951 l v A, L, STALEY 2,566,505

MANUFACTUREl 0F LUBRICATION FITTINGS Filedug. 18, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Sept. 4, 1951 A. L. sTALvEY ANUFVACTURE F LUBRICA'TUN FITTINGS 4 Filed Aug.4 18, 1948 www. WN.

:PENN "NIIIIIHHHUI QQ. MON.

4 Sheets-Sheet Z5 Sept. 4, 1951 A. L. sTALEY MANUFACTURE oF LUBRICATION FITTINGS Filed Aug. 18, 1948 92, L im l\ JI 4 l 4 s wm\ A QN SCP- 4 1951 AA. L. sTALEY MANUFACTURE 07F LUBRICATION FITTINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed .5mgT 18. 194e Patented Sept. 4, 1951 MANUFACTURE OF LUBRICATIN FITTINGS Austin L.. Staley; Fox-Chapel, Pa., assigner to Universal Lubricating Systems,:Inc.,0a-kmont,

Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application vAu'gust'ls, 1948, Seral- No. 44,882

5 Claims@` (Cl. 219-10) This -invention 'relates' 'to' Ythe manufacture.' 'of' lubrication flttings,^=parti'cularly" those of the-type' comprising a body'and a Vtilyweld'ed to'gethen This application isa continuation-"in-'part' of' my" application v'Serial `No2 v 790,375`g'1led December 8, 1947-,"'now abandoned.v-`

This invention has'to do with certain particulai"meth'ods'of"making-ia 'lubrication tting and certairffparticularmetiids'of making a series of' lubrication ttingsfthrough whichgreat economies of manufacture are'efvfected 'and superior t'ti'rgs Aarev produced."y Itfcontemplat'es the provision of a lubrication 'fitting-body or bodiesg'the assembling threwithof a vtip or tips, andthe rapid and effective-welding together of' the' body orbodies and the` tipfortips. In'carrying out my invention I may 'employ anyl suitable apparatus;

for'purposes of"`exp1anation and villustration I shall describe' the invention asgcarried out on apparatus'as described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 44,881' iild of even date' herewith.' That apparatus comprises means whereby 'a ttir'ig body positioned` 'at' `a selected angle related ito the Aso'called "ang1e'of' 'the fitting to4 be produced `is'sequentially drilled and positioned to 'receive a `tip whereupon'a tip is pressed against the body 'at'the portion 'thereof which has been drilled and welded thereto.'

I provide a 'method of' making a lubrication' fitting comprising disposing a fitting body in -a workl'holder; drilling 'thelttn'g 'body as thus disposed lto provide th'erein'a ylubricant' delivery passage, assembling with"th-fltting bodv while' disposed in the Work holder a predrilledtip` with" th'e tipbre in 'communication with the delivery passage inthe body 'and welding the' body and tip together.

I 'may'nake Va lubrication tting by providing a titing bodvhaving therein 'a 'lubricant'delivery' passage, inserting'the Iend 'of"ai"tip into that' passage' and 'welding the body and tin together.

The tip may be andpreferably isipredrill'ed." The end' of 4the' 'tip fisf'preferably `inserted "into'the lubricant delivery` passageso' that' the" tip engaged peripherally." by the wall`of"'that'passage,'

and`r I preferablyfbyr'electric' resistance welding f' join'- 'the' body and' ti`p` together 'atthe zone' ofi engagement of Nth'. tipffand:4 saidxwall. Desirablyylj shapezathe tip. and passage so* 4that the zone' of engagement'oricontact:between'the body andv tip approaches` line' contact'periphera'lly of' the tip.

vantage that method of electric resistance weldingknown as projection welding 'which'` involves the'passage of' an'electric' current through metal' members to be'welded--together,` the temporary melting -of'metal in the zone of contact between the'. members 'and 'the 'freezing-fof themelted metal While pressinglthe :members together. At

lea'stf'fone' ofglthe: tip.zandnthevlubricant 'deliveryy passagejmay'be, tapered so .that Athe zone of con.`V tact between the.body -and tip .approaches.1ine;..

contact peripherally of the tip.

I further provide a method of Ymaking a lubrication fitting comprising disposing a fitting body.,-

in. :a -work holder,- disposing. a .tip .in a second Work holder. electrically connecting the thus` dis. posed body and tip intol a resistance welding cire l cuit, relativelyl moving the work holders toward each otherfto bringv the body and tip into engage.

ment and passing electric current throughsaid circuit to weld thev tip to. the-body. Preferably a lubricant delivery passage is provided inthe fit?. ting body and the tipprojects into that passage` r while the welding together .of the body and tip. is'.

eiiected.

I also` providea method of making a lubricationy fitting comprising 2disposing a tting body' in a work holder, .disposing a tip in a second work holder, bringing anelectrode of an electric welchv ing circuit into engagement with the body while disposed in the rstmentionedwork holder, elec' trically. connecting the tip while disposed in the second mentioned work holder into said` circuit; relatively moving the workholders toward each" other to bring the body. and tip ,into engagement." and passing electric current through said circuit' to- Weld the tip to the body.`

A lubricant delivery passage may be drilled into the fitting body at a rst station' the work' holder carrying. the. tting body may be moved to a second stationand a tip may, be welded to the fitting body at vthe lubricant 'delivery passage"l therein at the second station.

rI still further provide' a method of making a series of lubrication fittings comprising disposing like tting bodies 'in a work holder at different angles,y drilling each such body to provide a lubricant delivery ,passagethereim the angle ol' i the bodyv in the holder determining the location thereinof theV lubricant delivery'passage, as'

semblingwith the respective. tting bodies at the respective lubricant delivery passages'therein like' tipsand .weldingeach tip to the body' with which it is thus. assembled.

I .desirably drill, a plurality of Alike bodies 'at different angular positions' 'to "provide in the bodies.,differently oriented lubricant delivery passages, assembled .with the respective bodies at therespective lubricant'deliveryl passages there-- in.. like tipsr and weld each .tip tov the body with which it isV thus assembled.

Other details, objects and advantages of theV inventioinwill become apparent as'the following *y description .oft certain present preferred methods of practicing the `same proceeds.

In.the accompanyingdrawings I have illus trated certain present preferred '.methods "of practicingthe. invention in which Figure 1 is-a fragmentary diagrammatic plan Figure -3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-secl tional view to enlarged scale through a workl holder and drill head of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary radial elevational view of one of the work holders showing the I mechanism for operating the clamp and showing' the means for ejecting a nished fitting from the work holder;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through one of the tip holders for applying to a lubrication fitting body a `tip to be welded thereto;

Figure 6 is a control diagram showing the control mechanism for the apparatus; and

Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating how a tip is welded to a lubrication fitting body by the projecf tion welding method which I`-prefer to employ.

My apparatus comprises means for holding a lubrication fitting body at adesired angle, means for bringing a tip into contact with the body at a desired position on the body andrmeans for joining the tip to the body. The joining is preferably accomplished by welding and I find that electric resistance welding is effective and efiicient; I prefer to employ that kind of electric resistance welding known to those skilled in the art as projection Welding. I relatively shape the lubrication fitting body and tip so that the assembly of Abody and tip when body and tip are ready to be welded together has minimum `cross-sectional area at the zone of juncture .between the body and tip. While the body and tip are being welded together I press them firmly into contact with each other. The passage of electric current through the thus assembled and pressed together body and tip results in melting of metal at the zone of juncture between the body andthe tip because the cross-sectional area of the assembly issmallest at that zone, resulting in maximum resistance in the electrical circuit and hence maximum temperature. The application of maximum temperature at the zone of smallestl crosssectional area results in melting of metal at that' zone while the remainder of the assembly remains unmelted. The tips are preferably hardened before being welded to the fitting bodies. While the welding heat anneals the end of the tip which is welded to the fitting body it does not anneal the opposite end of the tip which is the end have shown that the joint between the body and tip is so strong that it does not yield under tests ofthe fittingsto destruction, the fittings being destroyed elsewhere than at the joint between the body and tip. My process is extremely economical; I can make superior fittings at a fraction of the cost of making fittings by methods heretofore employed. It has heretofore been the usual practice to thread the tips into the fitting bodies, This practice has been recognized as disadvantageous from'varicus standpoints, yet it is the practice which has been employed by the industry right up to the present invention. YThe Vmaking of fittings by threading the tip into the body has the disadvantages that a relatively weak fitting is producedythe time required for manu# facture is relatively great and the cost of making the fitting is relatively high. Fittings with threaded-in tips when subjected to tests such as the tests above referred to normally yield at the threads between the tip and body. 'Moreoven fittings made by threading the tip into the body are frequently defectivedue to imperfect threads in the tip,rthe body vor both; this may lead to leakage or separation ofthe tip from the bodywhen the fitting is used.

My method has especialv utility and advantage 'Y in the making of fittings oi' different angles The fittings are applied to machinery of various f kinds, as, for example, automobiles, to deliver lubricant to bearings. gMany fittings when so applied are accessible onlyfrom a particular `angle to the axis of the fitting body. For such. installations fittings areemployed which haveY the tip disposed at an angle to the axis of the fitting body. These are so-called angle fittingsl which have the tips disposed at angles to the fitting bodies such as 36, 45, 60, 90,etc.

I preferably arrange the instrumentalities emv ployed in making the fitting so that they may be disposed at fixed stations vto operate in a uniform manner in themaking of tips ofdifferto which the coupler is applied when lubricant is f injected through the tting and that end of the tip remains in its hardened condition.

As above mentioned, during Welding the lubrication'tting body and tip are pressed together. Since metal at the zone of juncture melts during the welding there is an appreciable movement together or consolidation of the body and tip during the small fraction of a second during which the metal at the zone of juncture is molten so that the final relative position of the welded together body and tip is somewhat different from their relative position when assembled before the welding current has been passed through them. The result is a-zone of juncture between the body and tip in the finished litting which is of materially increased cross section relatively to the cross section at the zone of juncture prior to welding and which forms a unitary lubrication fitting of great strength and ruggedness. 'Tests ent angles. For example, I may employ a drill for drilling a lubricantdeliverypassage in a fitting body and a Welder for welding a tip to the fitting body and-I may mount the fitting body in a work holder and move the work holder rela. i

tively to thev drill and Welder, stopping it briefly at each station for performance of the operation carried out at that station. Toprovide for making fittings of different angles I may arrange the fitting body in the work holder at a selected one`of a plurality of differentv angles, the angle at which the body is disposed in the work holder being, of courseyrelated'to the angle of the fitting, Thus by adjustment ofthe Work holder to hold fittingbodies 'at different angles Ican without any other change in the apparatus make a set or series of fittings with the tips disposed at different angles to the'bodies thereof. The respective fittings of the set or series are adapted for use where access to the fittings'4 is from different angles as explained above. By my method IV effect great economy nof production. I can in a very short time make the necessary adjustment for changing over from the manufacture of iittings of one angle to the manufacture of fittings of another angle.

I find it advantageous to employ a plurality of work holders for holding fitting bodies and to move the work holders successively to a drilling station and a welding' station; in this way I can manufacture fittings with unprecidented speed and I can if it should be desired to do so', make fittings of more than one angle at the same #,soaisos time; ',-For example, the work holders may be mounted on a rotary table and the drilling 'and welding stations may be spaced .about the perip'hery of the table. Conveniently the table maybe mounted to rotate about a vertical `axis so that the path of the work holders is a circular path in a horizontal plane. Desira'bly the work holders are 'spaced apart a distance rsuch. that when one work holder is disposed at the drilling station another work holder will be disposed at thewelding station; thus a drilling and a Welding operation may be performed on different fitting bodies at the same time. The table is preferably rotated step by step, stopping to position the respective'work holders at the respective stations for performance of the respective operations.

VI can perform the operations so rapidly that I find it desirable to employ more than one drilling station and moreI than one Welding station. I advance the table between operations a distance equal to as many times the dis-tance between work holders `as there are sets of drills and Welders. If, for example, two drills and two Welders are employed the table is advanced twice the distance between work holders upon each step. -Thus upon each angular advance or indexing of the table one work holder will pass the first drill to have its fitting body operated on subsequently by the second drill and one Work holder will pa-ss the first Welder to have its :zitting body operated on subsequently by the second Welder.V It would be possible to position the two drills side'by side to act on fitting bodies carried by successive work holders and to similarly position the Welders but I find it desirable to arrange the drills and Welders alternately, carrying alternate Work holders past the first drill and the firstl Welder without having their fitting bodies operated on thereby so that those fitting bodies are operated on by the second drill and the vsecond Welder simultaneously with drilling and weldingr operations being performed by the first drill and the first Welder on other tting bodies.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the table is designated by reference numeral 2. It is of circular shape and is mounted in turn about a vertical axis 3. There are mounted on the table adjacent the periphery thereof a number of Work holders designated `generally by reference numeral 4. The Work holders are perferably spaced apart equally around the complete periphery of the table. In the embodiment shown in the drawings there are twentyfour work holders disposed about the periphery of the table spaced apart at angles of l5". Means are provided for advancing the table step by step to bring each Work holder into cooperative relationship first with .a drill and thereafter with a Welder. If there were only one drill and one Welder the table would rotate or index only between stops. However, in the embodiment 'shown` there are two drills and two Welders so the table rotates 30 between stops. l Q InFigure l the first drill is designated genorally by reference numeral 5, the first Welder by reference numeral 6, the second drill by reference numeral 'I and the second Welder by reference numeral 3. Similarly the reference numerals 5, E, 1 and 8 will be used to refer to the first drilling station, the first welding station, the second drilling station and the second welding station respectively.

The angular distance between the first drill and the first Welder and between the second drill and the second Welder `is 60. Thus it will be seen that as the table advances 30 between operations the first Welder will act on the same fitting bodies as 4'have been acted on by `the lfirst drill and the second welder will act on the same fitting bodies as have been acted on by Vthe second drill. The angular distance between the first Welder and the second drill is Thus the fitting bodies which have been acted on by the first drill and the first Welder will by-pass the second drill and the second Welder, and the fitting bodies which are to be acted on by the second drill and the second Welder will by-pass the rst drill and the field Welder. Thus the provision of the two sets of drills and Welders doubles the output of the machine relatively to the output which could be effected with but one drill and one Welder. Similarly the output would be further increased Iby increasing the number of sets of drills and Welders.

Half Way between the first drill and the first Welder is a clean-out station 9 and half way between the second drill and the second Welder is a clean-out station Iii. These clean-out stations are jets which blow air into the passages formed in the tting bodies by the drills to blow out the chips and cuttings.

Viewing Figure l, the table-2 turns clockwise during operation. After the drilling and welding operations have been performed on the work carried by each work holder the iinished tips are ejected at ejectin'g stations II and I2. The i'lttings are ejected by blasts of compressed air which operate at both of stations II and I2 at the same time.

There is disposed about 225 of the table a stationary cam I3 for operating the Work holders as will now be described. Each of the twenty-four work holders 4 comprises a supporting base I4 bolted to the table 2 by bolts I5. The respective supporting bases I4 hence are in effect integral with the table and have no movement relative thereto. Each of the bases I4 has therein an upwardly open arcuate slot I6 into which lits a tongue I I integral with the body I8 of the work holder. The base I4 has an arcuate upwardly facing surface I9 beside the arcuate upwardly facing slot I6 and the body I8 has an arcuate lower surface 25) adapted to seat against the surface I9 while the tongue Il is disposed in the slot I6. There are drilled through the base I4 intersecting the slot I6 a series of bolt holes 2I andthe tongue Ilof the body I8 also has therethrough a bolt hole 22 adapted in adjusted positions of the body I8 relatively to the base I4 to be aligned with a desired bolt hole 2|. A bolt 23 provided with a nut 24 is adapted to be passed through the thus aligned bolt holes 2| and 22 to hold the body I8 at a desired angle relatively to the base I4. The bolt holes in the base may be disposed so as to hold the body at any desired angles to the base. Those angles may be selected at will and will ordinarily be such as to provide for the welding of the tips to the lubrication fitting bodies at the angles necessary to produce angle fittings having the desired angular relationships between the thereof. f

Ordinarily the body I8 of each work holder Will be fixed at a particular angle during a run of the machine whereby to make fittings all of one angle during that run. To make fittingsfof other angles the bolt 23 is removed, the body I8 adjusted to the desired newV angle relatively to the base I4and the bolt re-inserted and tight-5 of the periphery bodies and tips AThe piston cned. This change can be effected in a very short time.

Each work holder body I8 has therein a bore 25 through which passes a stud 25. Each work holder also has a clamping jaw 21 which is pivotally mounted on the stud 26. Thus the clamping jaw 21 of each work holder is adapted to partake of pivotal movement about the axis of the corresponding stud 26 relatively to the Work holder body I8. Each work holder body I8 has adjacent its upper end a bore 28 receiving a compression coil spring 29 and a pin 30 having a rounded end, the pin 30 being adapted to bear against the clamping jaw 21 to turn the clamping Yjaw in the clockwise direction about the axis of the stud 26, viewing Figure 3. The spring 29 normally urges the clamping jaw 21 tofopen position.

The body I8 of each work holder and the corresponding clamping jaw 21 have adjacent their upper ends Work receiving cavities 3I and 32 respectively which may be complementarily formed to hold the work to be acted on. When the work to be acted on consists of lubrication ttin'g bodies the cavities 3| and 32 are shaped so that when a lubrication tting body is positioned between the body I8 of the work holder and the clamping jaw 21 at the elevation of theV cavities 3| and 32 and the jaw is moved to closed position the fitting body will be iirmly held by the work holder with a desired portion exposed to be acted on by the drill and Welder. The fitting bodies for which the particular form of apparatus shown iny the drawings is designed have threaded Shanks and bulbous heads. The heads may be spherical or of other shape. Each of the work holders holds one of the iitting bodies so as to present its bulbous head to be drilled and to have a tip applied and welded'thereto as will be described.

The spring 29 normally maintains the Vclamping jaw 21 of each of the work holders 4 in open or inoperative position. Each of the work holder bodies I8 has at a level below the level of the axis of the stud 26 a bore 33 having at its inner end a counterbore 34. A piston 35 ts in the bore 33 and has an extension 36 iitting in the counterbore 34 and adapted tol project beyond the end thereof. The bore 33 functions as a cylinder.

35 is sealed in the cylinder 33 by pack- 'ing 31 held in place on the piston by a nut 38 threaded onto a stud 39 forming part of the piston and a washer 40. The cylinder 33 is adapted to be closed and sealed by a threaded plug 4I and a gasket 4I Communicating with the cylinder 33 behind or to the left of the piston 35, viewing Figure 3, is a port43 leading to an internally threaded bore 42. A connection leading to a source of fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, is adapted to be threaded into the bore 42. When compressed air or another fluid under pressure is admitted throughv the bore 42 and port 43 it forces the piston 35 to the right, viewing Figure 3, and turns the clamping jaw 21 in the counterclockwise direction about the axis of the stud 26 to move the clamping jaw to operative or clamping position relatively to a lubrication fitting body to be held by the work holder to be acted on by one of the drills and one of the Welders.

Fastened by one or more bolts 44 to the undersurface of the table 2 for cooperation with each of the work holders 4 or each of a number of groups of work holders into which the work holders may be divided is an air valve 45 havfor compressed air, a com- 41 and a valve plunger 48. When the plunger 4B is forced to the right, viewing Figure 4, air under pressure is admitted from the inlet 46 to the outlet 41 whence it passes through a tube 49 to the bore 42 of the work holder or the bores 42 of the work holders of a. group of work holders with which that particular air valve 45 is associated. I prefer to employ one air valve 45 for each two adjacent work holders 4, there being two tubes or branches 43 from yeach such valve to the respective bores 42 of those two work holders. Thus each air valve operates two work holders simultaneously.`

As the table 2 rotates Vabout the axis 3 the plungers 48 of the respective air valves 45 are successively pressed inwardly and held in by the stationary cam I3 so that the clamping jaws 21 of the work holders are by compressed air held in operative position to rrnly clamp lubrication iltting bodies to be drilled and welded during positioning of the bodies to the respective drill and Welder whichare to operate on them, When each air valve 45 passes beyond the end of the stationary cam I3 as the table turns in the clockwise direction, viewing Figure 1, the plunger 43 thereof is released and is moved outwardly or to the left, viewing Figure 4, by a spring within the valve casing which shuts off passage of compressed air from the inlet 46 to the outlet 41 and relieves the air pressure in the tubes 49, resulting in releasing of the clamping jaws 21 of the two work holders controlled by that valve. The springs 29 open the jaws of those work holders, providing for ejection of the nished lubrication fittings.

Tubes 50 extend from the respective air inlets 46 of the twelve air valves 45 to an air inlet manifold disposed with its intake in the axis 3 and with twelve branches connected respectively with the twelve air inlets 46 of the twelve air ing an air inlet 46 pressed air outlet valves 45 by twelve tubes 5Il-. The manifold" turns with the table 2 about the axis 3, the joint at the intake of the manifold being packed to prevent leakage during turning. Y

The drills at the two drillingr stations 5 and'1 may be the same and the Welders at the two welding. stations 6 and 8 may he the same so `description of one of each will suice. The details of the mechanism for operating the drills and Welders form no part of the present invention and hence are not shown.

Figure 3 shows all that is necessary to disclose the mounting and operation of the drills. At

each of the drilling stations 5 and 1 there is y mounted a drill 5I with appropriate mechanism for turning it, as. for exemple, an electric motor (not shown). Each drill is guided within a bushing 52 having a cup-shaped indentation 53 in its bottom .surface coaxial with the drill 5I, the indentation 53 being adapted upon lowering of the drill to seat on the bulbous or spherical portion or ball of the lubrication tting body held in the work holder 4 which is positioned below the drill at the time the drill is lowered to operate thereon. 'I'he bushing 52 is mounted in a crosshead 54 through the opposite ends of which pass supporting rods 55 having nuts 56 on their lower extremities. Normally the crosshead 54 rests on the nuts 56 and is resiliently pressed downwardly thereagainst by compression coil springs 51, one surrounding each of the rods 55, bearing against any suitable portion of the apparatus (not shown).

When one of the work holders 4 isin position arcanos at one .cf the drilling stations .5 and l .the drill at that station.. including all the mechanism shown in Figure `3 above the AWork holderJ .islcwered The cup-shaped indentation 15.3 in tlie bottom surface `of the bushing :52 seats on the ball of the lubrication fitting body held by the work holder..

arrests downward movement of the crosshead 4. However, the drill 5j continues its downward movement and of course .continues rotation. Since the bushing is mounted vin the crosshead 54 whose downward. movement is ar.- rested the drill passes dow- 1.1 'through the bushing. It drills a lubricant delivery passage Ain the s bulbous end of the lubrication iitting body, being guided by the bushing '.52 which in .turn is centered relatively .to the bod-y .of the tting by .seats ing of the cup-shaped indentation 5.3 on the bulbous portion of the lubrication fitting body.

.As soon as the lubricant delivery passage has been drilled Vthe drill ls Withdrawn upwardly, the bushing 52 pressing downwardly on the v:lubrication ntting body during upward withdrawal of the drill from the drilled passage therein. Aff-ter the .drill has .been .completely withdrawn from the ylubrication n tting jbody the nuts 5 6 vengage the vundersurfaoe of -the crosshead 54 and draw the crosshead upwardly .to disengage the lubrication fitting .body held by the-work holder. Thereupon the table 2 rotates v o1- indexes in the clockwise direction. viewing Figuren, 4through .an ang1eo.f30 .whereupon it;stopstobosition at each station the second work holder following the Work holder just 4:previously positioned thereat. vI.1i:.this way. .as explained above, .the lubrication fitting bodies 1n all of the awork holders are operated llpon, a1ternate ones -at one set `of operation stations fand the 'other .alternate .ones `at the .other 4set of operating stations.

At -each stop 'of the table-2 ,a work holder carrying .a drilled lubrication tting body .is .p ositioned 4at each of the clean .out stations '.9 and I ll. At=each yof those stations a compressed air nozzle is positioned which blows compressed air downwardly into the .lubricant delivery passage .which :has fiust .been drilled into the lubricant tting body ato expelithe l.cuttingsgand chips. The cuttings fand .chips :may be `.expelled :through :the threadedshank of the fitting body if there is .ino ball check valve rin the :body at :the time; -'but normally the lubrication ftting bodies .will .have been provided with ball-check valvesandsprings prior to their bei-ng .operated upon by the mechanism disclosed .in this 'application Under those circumstances the cuttings .andrchips will `'beexpelled upwardly `from Vthe justdrilled lubricant delivery passage.

'The lubrication .fitting .bodies .prior to .being acted upon iby the apparatus disclosed in Ythis application are each .preferably drilled axially 4romonefend to provide apassage ending'within `the bulbous portion, :and :the .lubricant delivery passagesdrilled .bythe-'apparatus disclosedjnsthis application intersect the `i'rst vmentioned passages within .the bulbous portions ofthe ,htting bodies.

.-Ateach ofthe Welding stations and v8 theies .a .welderhavlng V.,anuipper head or tip yh.older. a s shown in Figure 5. {Il heupper head is designated generallyhy reference numeral -58 -and comprises and Welded to thedrilledluprloation fitting-body.

In Figure 'i one form of tip shown .to greatly enlarged scale, the tip being geeignete@ gdiilally by reference numeral .63 .and comprising a .centrai portion Se .and identical tapered end portions 65. drilled .axially completely therethrough from end to end. The .tip is longitud-inaly symmetrical do that it is inmaterial which .end is disposed against .the lubrication ntting body.. The recesses 6i and 62 .areshaned to clamp one of the tips 53 with .either .end .upwardly since the ends of each tip are identical. '.llie recesses engage the upper end .of the tip. the lower .end projecting downwardly from the ,upper head '58,

.body z5-9 .of the-.upper head .5.8 is drilled .at 6e to slidably receive .a bolt 6l whose .threaded end i618 is screwed .onto the clamping jaw 50. .A hollow .extension :member .69 is threaded into the body EQ vat 1D and is sealed thereto-'by a .gasket ll. |:Phe .member .69 ,a bore l:12 slidably re.- ceving the .bolt 61, YThe .member .6g has a cylinder 13 formed 4internally A.thereof and .a piston i4 ts within the cylinder and is fastened to .the vbolt 163. Packing .1.5 .seals the piston in the .-cylinder. The :piston and .packing are maintained in place .on the bolt :by nuts 'i6 and Z111. Y

The hollow .extension member .V69 is closed Iby a cap 18 threaded .thereto .and .a .compression coil spring 19 bears .between the cap .and the piston lfd. A port 8.0 commur'iicates with the space Within .the cylinder .11.3 *.to the right .of -the .piston .lli viewing Figure .5.

There is .provided in. connection :with each upper head .58 a-.solenoidoperated air valve :8l .to which compressed air lis delivered yfthrough van -air inlet 82. Aconduit extends `trom the valve l8=l to vthe port 8e in the cylinder 13. When the valve .8l is open .compressed air passes from the inlet 82 through y'the .valve .and the `conduit 8:3 and the port B0 .to 'the cylinder i113 -to- .the .right vof .the piston .14, .viewing Figure .5.

Admission .of air -under `pressure Yinto -the -cylinder kJ3 gto :the rightof Ythe piston M, viewing Figure 5, causes .closing .of rthe clamping jaw llill against .the .body `59 .to `clamp a .tip :to .be applied to a lubricant fitting .body heldin .one of .the work Vholders .4.

Tips'aredeliyered :to each head 58 one by one `(one foreach :indexingmovementof the table 3.) The itips .are feddown .a hopper tube `84 the diameter of which is only slightly greater -than'the maximum ldiameter .of .the tips rvso Athat the .tips follow eachother in vsingle file ythrough the hopper :tube and whendelivered -from the bottomof the tube are iproperlyoriented. The bottom of the hopper tube is 1in the .same horizontal kplane as .the bottom .of an upper extension e of .a part 8.5 -of `the .machine .which has therein -a guidewiay .85 for guiding for slidable reciprocationor oscillation-a slidegl. The hopper tubeilll is mounted in the .extension 35a vand held in placetherein bva-setscrew 85h.

`.'I`loreaded into the machine part 85 at the right hand .face thereof. viewing l:Figure 2, Yare rods 8 8 having reduced end .portions 89. .A bracket :.99 :iS disposed over the portions 89 of the rods 88 and ragainst zthe shoulders of those rods :between the portions -s .andres thereof. A sleeve '.91 .bears :against :the `fbracket 9D .and lanother bnaclret 9 2 :bears against the sleeve fel. The portions V89 of the rods :.88 also .pass through the bracketv92 and h avchutsf Aapplied toftheir ends j-for pressing the ibraket 92 against fthe sleeve :91 and in itlll-l pressing the .sleeve 95| against the bracket en. Threaded through .um

The tip has a lubricant delli/ery passageY l' s bracket 92 is a bolt 94 having a head 95 serving as a stop member as will presently be described. A lock nut 96 maintains the bolt 94 in adjusted position relatively tothe bracket 92.

Threaded into the slide 81 is a rod 91. The

rod 91 is guided within a b-ushing 98 threaded' into the bracket 90. The end of the rod 91 is disposed in the sleeve 9| and carries a piston 99 packed against the interior of the sleeve by packing |00. Packing IOI seals the rod 91 where it passes through the bushing 90.` Gaskets |02 are disposed between the ends of the sleeve 9| and the respective brackets 90 and 92. Thus the sleeve 9| is sealed and acts as a cylinder within which the piston 99 operates. Compressed air inlets |03 and |0|| are provided at the opposite ends of the cylinder. When air is admitted through the inlet |03 the piston 99 moves to the right carrying with it the rod 91 and the slide 81. When compressed air is admitted to the cylinder through the inlet |04 the piston 99 moves to the left carrying with it the rod 91 and the slide 81. l

The rod 91 is locked to the slide 81 by a lock nut |05. Threaded onto the rod 91 is a. stop member |06 maintained in desired adjusted position by a lock nut |01. The stop member |06 has va circumferential iiange |08 which extends about the lock nut |05. Movement of rthe slide 81 to the left, viewing Figure 2, is limited when the stop member |06 engages the right-hand face of the machine part 85. Movement of the slide 81 to the right, viewing Figure 2, is limited when the end of the rod 91 engages the stop 95. The piston 99 and packing |00 are maintained in place on the rod 91 by nuts |09 and washers |090..

The slide 81 has adjacent its left-hand end, viewing Figure 2, a bore IIO extending upwardly thereinto from the bottom and a counterbore II I thereabove communicating with the bore I and intersecting the upper surface of the slide. The bore ||0 is internally threaded and a cylinder II2 is screwedthereinto. The cylinder II2 is maintained in adjusted position in the bore IIO by a nut I I3 threaded over the cylinder below the slide 81 and biased against the under surface of the slide. The cylinder II2 has a compressed air inlet .I I4 atthe bottom through which compressed air may be admitted for a purpose to be presently described.

A piston I5 operates in the cylinder II2. The piston I|5 hasy an extension II6 which passes upwardly through the counterbore III. The extension I|6 is guided Within a bushing |I1. The bushing I |1 limits upward movement of the piston II5 by engagement with the upper surface of the piston. The piston is designed so that when it is in its extreme upper position against the bushing I.|1v the upper surface of the extension IIE is approximately flush with the upper surface of the slide 81. Apcompression coil spring |I9is disposed between the bushing I|1 and the cylinder II2 and normally urges the piston II5 downwardly. The piston ||5 is moved upwardly by compressed air admitted to the cylinder ||2 below thepiston through the inlet-'I I4.

The purpose of the slide 81 is to deliver tips v65| one by one from the hopper tube B4 to the upper head 58. When the upper head is in its lower position to cooperate with a work holder 4 positioned therebelow the slide 81 is in its extreme retracted position, i. e., the position it occupies when the Yright-hand end of the rod lisagainst the stop V95, viewing Fgure 2. The

stop 95 `is adjusted so that whenthe righthandend of the rod 91' engages it the counterbore I'I| is coaxial with the hopper tube 84. At that time compressed air is not admitted through the inlet II4 so the spring II8 pushes the piston I|5 down to the bottom of the cylinder II2. In the bottom of the cylinder I I2 is a stop I9 against which the bottom of the piston II5 engages when the piston is in its lowermost position. At that time the upper surface of the extension IIE is disposed a distance below the upper surface of the slide 81 approximately equal to the length or vertical dimension, viewing Figure 2, of one of the tips 63. Thus when the slide 81 is in its retracted position with the counterbore III 'coaxial with the hopper tube 84 the piston II5 is at the bottom of its stroke in the cylinder II2 and the lowermost tip 63 in the hopper tube 84 drops down into the counterbore III and rests on the top of the extension IIB. The upper surface of the tip when in the counterbore I II is approximately flush with the upper surface of the slide 81.

Compressed air is admitted to the cylinder 9| through the inlet |04 driving the piston 99 to the left, viewing Figure 2, until the stop member |06 engages the right hand face of the machine part 85. At that time the counterbore I I is substantially coaxial with the tip holder in the upper head 58. Thereupon compressed air is admitted to the cylinder II2 through the inlet II4 to push up the piston I|5 to eject the tip 63 from thecounterbore III and dispose its upper end in the tip holder within the cavities 6I and 62. Thereupon the clamping jaw 60 is moved toward the left, viewingFigure 5, to clamp the tip in the tip holder. When the tip is so clamped its lower surface just clears the upper surface of the slide 81 and the slide returns to its retracted position to receive another tip for the succeed. ing cycle. Retraction of the slide 81 is effected by admitting compressed air into the cylinder 9| through the inlet |03.

While the tipr feeding mechanism above described is delivering a tip to the top holder the table 2 is indexing. When the slide 81 has cleared the upper head 58 that head moves downwardly, carrying with it the tip 63 which has just been delivered thereto by the slide 81. The tip holder carries the tip down into contact with the lubrication fitting body held by the work holder 4 positioned at the welding station. The tip engages the fitting body coaxially with the lubricant delivery passage which has been drilled into the fitting body at the drilling station. The tapered lower end 65 of the tip enters the upper end of the lubricant delivery passage in the bulbous head of the fitting body. Referring to Figure 7, the bulbous head of the fitting body is designated as |20 and the lubricant delivery passage therein which has been drilled at the drilling station is designated as I2I. The passage I2I communicates with a longitudinal passage through the fitting body, as above explained.

The passage I2I is cylindrical while the tip end 65 is tapered or frusta-conical. The largest diameter of the tapered tip end is somewhat greater than the diameter of the passage I2I. On the other hand the smallest diameter of the tapered tip end is smaller than the diameter of the passagre I2|. Thus the end of the tip enters the passage |2I as shown in full lines in Fig. '1. The tiprhas substantially Vline contact with the fltting body where the tapered tip end engages the Amouth of the passage 12|.

- 1| 4a and.

With the tapered tip end 65 inserted into the passage 2| as shown in full lines in Figure 7 and with the tippressed downwardly against the fitting body the tip is weldedV to the body. The upper head 58 acts as the upper welding electrode, current passing through it to complete the welding circuit. A lower welding electrode |22 is moved radially inwardly to engage the end of the fitting body during welding so that current passes through the upper head or electrode 58, the tip 63, the ttng body |23 shown in Figure Zand the electrode |22. Assoon as the current is turned on metal at the zone of the mouth of they passage |2| melts. Melting of that metal allows the tip to be pushed somewhat farther into the passage |2| to about the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure '7. The current is only on for a few cycles, perhaps three cycles or one-twentieth of a second. That is sulilcient to melt the metal at the mouth of the passage |2|` which is at the zone of contact between the tip and the tting body. As has been indicated, themelting of the metal allows the tip which is being pressed downwardly, viewing Figure 2, to enter the passage` |2| somewhat farther than originally. When the welding current circuit is opened the melted metal solidies and forms a strong continuous permanent weld between the fitting body and tip as above explained.

Upon completion of the weld the electrode |22 is withdrawn and the upper head 58 releases the tip and is retracted upwardly and the table 2 indexes forward 30 for another cycle. Asv has been explained above, all of the stations 5, 6; 1, 8, 9 and Ill are operative upon each dwell'oi"v the table 2; Thus completed tips are in work holders 4 which simultaneously reach the ejecting stations and |2. As those work holders reach the ejecting stations the plunger 48 of the air valve controlling them rides olli of the end of the cam I3A cutting off air to the cylinders 33 of those two work holders, permitting the springs 29 to open them. When the two work holders are open the iinished tips are ejected from them by blasts of compressed air delivered through ejector tubes |24, one at each of the ejeoting stations and |2. The finished ttings are blown radially outwardly into receptacles which catch them.

After the finished fittings have been ejected the table 2 continues to index in steps of 30 in a clockwise direction, viewing Figure l. Before the air valve 45 controlling each pair of work holders 4 again comes to the front end of the stationary cam |3 lubrication tting bodies are positioned in the work holders. This may b e done manually or by the use of suitable feedingV mechanism. Then when each air valve 45 isr opened by engagement of its plunger 48 with the cam I3 the fitting bodies` positioned in the two work holders controlled by that air valve are clamped ready for drilling and welding as above explained.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described, reference being had primarily toFigure 6. In that ligure the two drills are designated respectively 5 la and 5| b, the two tip holders or upper welding heads are designated respectively` 58a and 58h, they two tip feeders or slides are designated respectively- 81a. and B'Ib, the: two hopper tubes are designated respectively 84a` and 84h and the two inletsy for air to eject tips from the feeders are designated respectively I |4b. The table is shown at 2. The control mechanism will be described in connection with the description of. acycle of opaeratoriy of the apparatus.

At the beginning of a cycle the table 2 is stationary with the work holders in the positions which they occupied during the operating portion of the preceding cycle,v the drills and tip holders are in their upper or raised positions and the tip feeders or slides are in their retracted positions. Since the drills and top holders are up normally open switches |25 are closed, being held closed thereby. Also normally closed switches |28 are closed, current flowing from line terminal I2? through the two left-hand switches |25, viewing Figure 6, and the left-hand switch |26 to the solenoid |23 and thence to line terminal |29 to complete the circuit. Current flows from line terminal |30 through the two right-hand switches |25, viewing Figure 6, and the right-hand switch |26 to the solenoid |3| and thence to line terminalv |32 to complete the circuit. The solenoids |28 and |3| operate air control valves |33 and |34 respectively to admit air under pressure to the right-hand ends of the cylinders for operating the tip feeders 87a and 81h, resulting in movement of the tip feeders to the left. As the two tip feeders approach their extreme left-hand positions in which tips are disposed directly below the tip holders 58a and 5811 switches |35 are closed thereby. This causes current to ilow from line terminal |38 through `the two switches |35 and solenoid |31 to line terminal |38, energizing solenoid |`3`| to open air control valve |39 and deliver compressed air (l) to inlets ||4a and ||4b to eject the tips from the feeders into the respective tip holders or upper heads 58a and 58h (2) to the clean-out stations 3 and I9, (3) to the two ejector stations andY |2 and (4) to an air cylinder |40 to actuate a plunger |4| to operate a table control |42 which causes forward indexing of the table 2 one step or through an angle of 30. The mechanism for moving the table does not constitute my invention and any suitable mechanism for that purpose may be used. The mechanism will be such, as known in the art, that when the table has indexed 30 to its new position it will stop and remain in that position until the table control |42 has been released and again operated.

Admission of fluid to the inlets ||4a and ||4b ejects the tips from the tip feeders 81a and 81p into the tip holders 58a and 58h respectively. Each of the tips when thus pushed up into the corresponding tip holder closes a switch |43. The closing of each of the switches |43 results in the passage of current from a line terminal |44 (see Figure 5) to a line |45. From each line |45 current passes (l) to a solenoid |45 and (2) to a solenoid |41. Each of the solenoids |46 opens a valve |48 to admitcompressed air to an air cylinder |49'to operate a plunger |5ll'to open one of the two normally closed valves |26. Each of the solenoids |41 is energized to open one of the air valves 8| (see Figure 5) to admit air under pressure to the corresponding cylinder T3 to the right of the corresponding piston 14, viewhand positions. Upon each tip feeder reaching its right-hand position a tip drops by gravity from the corresponding hopper tube into the corresponding counterbore ||I as above described. As the respective tip feeders approach their extreme right-hand positions they close switches |53 resulting in current iiowing from line terminal |54 through the two closed switches |53 and through the closed switch |54 to the solenoid |55 and line terminal |56. The switch |54 is closed when the table 2 after having indexed in response to the table control |42 reaches its new operative or dwell position. The table carries `twelve pins |51 equally spaced peripherally thereof, and upon reaching each dwell position one of those pins closes the switch |54. While the table is moving intermediate its dwell. position the switch |54 is open, preventing energizing of the solenoid |55. Thus in order to energize solenoid |55 it is necessary for both of the tip feeders `to be in their retracted positions and for the table 2 to have reached its dwell position for the succeeding operative portion of the cycle.

Energization of the solenoid |55 operates an air valve |59 to admit compressed air to the upper ends of air cylinders |59. The air cylinders |59 are connected with the respective drills 5|a and 5 Ib through mechanism shown diagrammatically at |60. Admission of air under pressure to. the upper ends of air cylinders |59 causes downward movement of the drills 5|a and .ilo. It is to be understood that the two drills are rotating continuously during operation of the apparatus.

Opening of air valve |58 also causes delivery of compressed air to air cylinders |6| to operate plungers |62 to close switches |63 to deliver current to the tip holders or upper welding heads 58a and 58h. These may be standard commercial devices and do not per se constitute my invention. Upondelivery of current to each such device the tip holder moves downwardly and presses the tip held thereby against the lubrication fitting body held by the work holder at the welding station, welding current passes through the parts to be welded together, the parts are pressed and held together during application of welding current and after the welding current has been shut ofi to insure a perfect weld and the tip holders or upper welding heads are raised to their upper positions (the positions which they occupied at the beginning of the cycle).

As the drills Ela and 5|b move downwardly 16 plication Serial No. 210,021, filed February 8, 1951. v

While I have illustrated and described certain present preferred methods of practicing the in@ vention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be other- .wise variously practiced within the scope of th following claims.

I claim:

l. A method of making a series of lubricationl fittings comprising disposing like metal tting bodies in a work holder at difierent angles, drilling each such body to provide a lubricant delivery passage therein, the angle of the body in the holder determining the location therein of the lubricant delivery passage, assembling with the respective fitting bodies at the respective lubricant delivery passage therein like metal tips and Welding each tip to the body with which it is thus assembled. v I

2. A method of making a series of lubrication ttings comprising drilling a plurality of like metal'bodies at different angular positions Yto provide in said bodies differently oriented lubrie cant delivery passages, assembling with the respective bodies at the respective lubricant delivery passages therein like metal tips and welding each tip to the body with which it is thus assembled.

3. A method of making a series of lubrication ttings comprising drilling a plurality of like metal bodies at different angular positions to provide in said bodies differently oriented lubricant delivery passages, inserting into the respective lubricant delivery passages of the respective bodies like metal tips and welding each tip to the body with which it is thus assembled.

4. A method of making a series of lubrication ttings comprising drilling a plurality of like metal bodies at diierent angular positions to provide in said bodies differently oriented lubri Vcant delivery passages, assembling with the respective bodies at the respective l-ubricant delivery passages therein like metal tips, electrically connecting each thus assembled body and tip into a resistance welding circuit and passing electric current through said circuit to weld the tip to n the body.

they drill lubricantA delivery passages in the lubrication fitting bodies held by the work l holders at the drilling stations. As each drill reaches the limit of its downward movement (i. e., when the lubricant deliveryk passage formed by the drill intersects the axial passage in the tting body) switches |64 are closed, resulting in flow of current from line terminal |65 through the two closed switches |64 to solenoid |66. Energization of solenoid |66 causes operation of air control valves |58 to shut off compressed air to the tops of air cylinders |59 and to deliver compressed air to the bottoms of those cylinders. This results in upward movement of the drills to their initial positions.

When the drills and tip holders reach their upper positions they close switches |25 and the parts are in the same position as they occupied at the beginning of the cycle.

Certain of the subject matter herein disclosed but not claimed is claimed in my divisional ap- 5. A method of making a series of lubrication ttings comprising drilling a plurality of like metal bodies at different angular positions to provide in said bodies differently oriented lubricant delivery passages, assembling with the respective bodies at the respective lubricant delivery passages therein like metal tips so that the zone of contact between each assembled body and tip approaches line contact peripherally of the tip, electrically connecting each thus assembled body and tip into a resistance welding circuit and pass= ing electric current through said circuit to weld the tip to the body.

AUSTIN L. STALEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATNTS 

